Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Mango salsa cabbage wraps with crispy baked tofu and an irresistible peanut sauce. These salad wraps are light and delicious! Recipe is gluten free & vegan.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on September 5, 2024
Hi, I’m Kate, and I am a chronic over-stuffer. I recognized the theme while I was making these salad wraps last night. In addition to salad wraps, I over-stuff tacos, burritos, bookshelves, closets and worst of all, my calendar. Basically, anything that can be over-stuffed, I over-stuff.
“All the salsas, please.”
—Me, at Chipotle, as the girl behind the counter struggles to fold over my burrito.
“Sure, I can photograph four recipes in one day, then answer comments and emails, go to yoga, stop by the grocery store and make it to bed at a reasonable hour.”
—Lying to myself on a daily basis.
I want it all, that’s all. The whole buffet on one plate. It’s exhausting. It can also be pretty embarrassing. Apologizing to everyone who’s been trying to reach me by email for the past week? Embarrassing. Trying to eat a saucy, over-stuffed burrito in public? Very embarrassing. Also very messy. Burritos are best consumed in the privacy of one’s own home.
Anyway, you should make these salad wraps. Over-stuff them all you want. I already had a general “tropical salsa meal” concept on my recipe list, but these wraps didn’t come to be until I tried my friend Ali’s Thai-style nachos. She topped her nachos with mango salsa and a drizzle of peanut sauce. Delicious!
I went a little crazy over the mango-peanut combination and immediately started brainstorming potential meals. After eating mango salsa and peanut sauce in various forms all week, I finally arrived at these salad wraps. They’re colorful, filling and full of Thai flavors. They would make a wonderful, light summer meal.
As much as I love the salad wrap version, please feel free to deconstruct the recipe. You could simply serve the mango salsa with chips. Or skip the tofu for a light appetizer. For a hot meal, serve the salsa on top of rice with peanut sauce (as shown here). In the mood for a big green salad? Top fresh lettuce with salsa and peanut sauce.
If you’re in a hurry, use San-J brand peanut sauce to save some time (it’s salty, so I prefer my homemade version). Skip the garnish of peanuts and coconut flakes if you’re really in a time pinch.
Watch How to Make Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps
You also have a few options when it comes to the tofu. I’ve shared my technique for crispy baked tofu already (the trick is to toss the tofu with a tiny bit of oil and some arrowroot starch or corn starch). I recently picked up a new way to infuse that crispy tofu with flavor, thanks to my friend Dana of Minimalist Baker. Basically, you bake the tofu first, then transfer it to a pan on the stove and pour sauce/glaze over it. The tofu soaks up the flavor like a sponge! It’s really neat.
The stove step is just one more step, though, so it’s up to you. The peanut sauce is plenty bold if you just want to drizzle it over the tofu, like I did in the top photo. Check out the last two photos if you want to see what happens when you cook the baked tofu and the sauce together on the stove.
Ok, I’ll admit that I’m an over-thinker in addition to being an over-stuffer. Make these wraps!
More Mango & Peanut Sauce Recipes
If you enjoy this bold flavor combination, these recipes will be right up your alley:
- Crunchy Thai Peanut and Quinoa Salad
- Mango Burrito Bowls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
- Fresh Mango Salsa
- Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
- Peanut Slaw with Soba Noodles
- Thai Mango Salad with Peanut Dressing
Please let me know how your wraps turn out in the comments. I love hearing from you.
Thai Mango Cabbage Wraps with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
Mango salsa, crispy baked tofu and an irresistible peanut sauce on cabbage leaves. These salad wraps are light and delicious! Recipe yields 6 to 8 salad wraps. See notes to learn how to make it vegan and/or gluten free.
Ingredients
Crispy baked tofu
- 1 (15 ounce) block of organic extra-firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch or cornstarch
Peanut sauce
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar or maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
Mango pico
- 2 ripe mangos, diced
- 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped
- ½ bunch (about 4) green onions, chopped
- ⅓ cup packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
- 1 jalapeño, minced
- ½ lime, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Everything else
- 1 small head of green cabbage (the smaller, the better) or bibb lettuce
- 2 tablespoons large, unsweetened coconut flakes* (optional)
- 2 tablespoons chopped peanuts (optional)
Instructions
- To prepare the tofu: Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Drain the tofu and use your palms to gently squeeze out some of the water. Slice the tofu into thirds so you have three ½-inch slabs. Transfer the tofu to a plate lined with a lint-free tea towel or paper towels. Fold the towel over one tofu slab, then place the other slab on top, then repeat with the last slab. Top with more towel and place something heavy on top (like a cast iron skillet) to help press the water out of the tofu.
- While the tofu drains, make the peanut sauce: Simply whisk together all of the sauce ingredients until well blended. If the flavor seems too bold or the sauce is too thick, thin it with a tablespoon or two of water. Set aside.
- To bake the tofu: Transfer the drained tofu to a cutting board. Slice each slab into four columns and four rows. Whisk together 1 tablespoon olive oil and tamari, then drizzle it over the tofu and toss to coat. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon arrowroot starch over the tofu, then toss the tofu until the starch is evenly incorporated. Repeat with 1 more teaspoon arrowroot starch. Arrange the tofu in an even layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, tossing halfway, until the tofu is crisp and deeply golden.
- To make the mango salsa: Combine ingredients in a small serving bowl and toss. Taste, and add additional salt and/or a little splash of white wine vinegar if necessary. Set aside.
- To prepare the cabbage/lettuce: Slice off the thick stem and bottom ¼th of the head of cabbage/lettuce. Gently pull off one leaf at a time. Repeat until you have 6 to 8 cabbage leaves.
- If you want to go the extra mile with the tofu: Once the tofu has finished baking, toast the coconut flakes and chopped peanuts in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the coconut is golden on the edges. Add the tofu to the pan. Pour in ⅔rds of the peanut sauce and toss to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tofu has absorbed the sauce and has turned golden on the edges. Transfer to a plate to cool.
- To assemble the cabbage wraps: Divide the salsa amongst the salad wraps. Top with tofu and additional peanut sauce. Serve! These wraps keep well in the fridge, covered, overnight. Sauce keeps well for up to a week in the fridge, covered.
Notes
Recipe inspired by Ali of Gimme Some Oven (check out her Thai tacos and Thai salad). Baked tofu from my brussels sprouts dish. Skillet tofu technique adapted from Minimalist Baker.
Make it vegan: Use either of the other two suggested natural sweeteners instead of honey
Make it gluten free: Use certified gluten-free tamari instead of soy sauce.Change it up: See suggestions in post. I’m pretty sure pineapple/peach would be great substitutes for the mango. You can substitute almond butter for the peanut butter if you’d like.
Prepare in advance: The baked tofu, salsa and peanut sauce can all be made in advance for easy assembly.
*Where to buy coconut flakes: Look for them in the baking section at Whole Foods, health food stores or well-stocked grocery stores. The brands I see most often are “Let’s Do Organic” (green package) and Bob’s Red Mill.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
I made this for a dinner with my grandma and fell in love with the easy prep, cook, and deliciousness! :)
Awesome! Thanks, Katie!
A Thanksgiving hit!
Love it!! I didn’t have time to make the mango salsa, but definitely will next time I make this as it was missing something without it. I would probably reduce the amount of vinegar as well as it was a little too tart for my pallet. Thanks!
Thank you, Kaitlyn!
This has become a favorite at our family gatherings! Every time we get together the kids ask if we are having the yummy tofu wraps,(we leave some with out the peppers for them.)Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes!
You’re welcome, Susanna! I appreciate your review.
This was so amazing! Used a mango salsa purchased ready made. Cabbage leaves and an almond sauce instead of peanut.
Thank you, Sue for your review. :)
We loved these! I did half peanut butter half peanut butter powder (mostly because I didn’t have enough regular pb) and it turned out surprisingly good. So if anyone is looking to cut the calories or fat this is an option.
Thanks for sharing, Brindy! I’m happy to hear that turned out well.
Hi Kate! Love this recipe (and most of your recipes, tbh :D). I’ve tried a few times and I still cannot get my crispy tofu to come out very well. This time the outside was sort of crispy, but the inside was super chewy–it almost made it hard to eat. Don’t worry, the salsa and peanut sauce were so delicious we were able to power through ;). Any suggestions to where I might be going wrong?
Hi Amber, thanks for your note! I’m honestly not sure what to suggest. Perhaps try another brand of tofu? They can vary quite a bit.
We have started using our air fryer for our tofu! It’s the crispiest we’ve ever gotten it!
First time making peanut sauce. Soooo good. Had to mention how easy it was to make this! Thanks again.
Thank you! Happy to hear that.
ok! 1. your recipes are totally awesome and 2. your food photography is the best i’ve seen. I’m a designer and i love the layouts and natural spacing/textures of the way you frame your photos! i’m binge saving your recipes right now and I was seriously stunned by a prev recipe that had this awesome textural photo of Green rice placed next to a photo of spaced out cubes of sweet potato, and I stopped being hungry for a second and was like damn, good eye!! stoked to make this recipe!
Well, thank you! I do really enjoy all aspects of it. Let me know what you think when you try it.
Made this tonight and it was a total hit with my whole family! Delicious!!
Wonderful, Amanda!
I made this tonight and IT. WAS. AMAZING. Oh my goodness. I wish I would have tripled the recipe because I could eat this for days!
I’m glad you liked it that much, Maria!
Made this tonight for the boyfriend, his brother, brothers friend and my mom. Everyone RAVED over how good it was! The flavors are amazing! I used soy sauce (didnt have tamari, but next time I would try this because it was a tad salty for me with soy) I definitly went with your suggestion about going the extra mile. 10 out of 10, will make again! Next time I will try cauliflower in the place of the tofu…any suggestions for perfectly crispy tofu?
Hooray! That’s wonderful. I really appreciate your review. Check out my crispy tofu recipe:https://sooka.info/2016/how-to-make-crispy-baked-tofu/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
Ah! I meant perfectly crispy cauliflower- your tofu was crispy! Do you think they would cook the same?
Thanks!
Thank you for this recipe. We are excited you have introduced us to a super easy way of obtaining perfectly crispy tofu. We could not find mango, so we used pomegranate seeds, and it was still delicious. I love that you make your recipes legitimately spicy as well.
Thanks so much! I’m glad you are enjoying the recipes.
These were great! We have an airfryer and used that to make the tofu and it came out crispy/chewy. We had a dinner party with a few guests that were vegetarian. I wanted to do something that wasn’t your typical mac n’ cheese, and this fit the bill nicely.
Thanks for sharing, Moto! I appreciate your review.
I needed to use up a brick of tofu and found I had bookmarked this recipe awhile back. What can I say other than yum? It was such a bright, fresh dinner after this bitterly cold end to January. The mix of flavors was wonderful. Plus it didn’t take a ton of time to put together on a weeknight. Next time I will use two tofu bricks as I had a ton of salsa left over. Definitely worth making.
Thanks for sharing, Rachel!
Fantastic recipe. We’ve made them thrice and each time gets better. I’ve subbed cashews for peanuts, but you can’t beat the toasted coconut/peanut combo. Serving with basmati rice is a perfect complement. Absolutely fabulous.
Cashews is a nice substitution, Evan! Thank you for sharing.
Made these for an appetizer menu tonight. They were a huge hit and friends asked for the recipe too. Will definitely be making these again.
Great to hear! Thanks for the review, Jodi.
WOW delicious!! I saw this recipe on your “what to eat in May” email and decided to make it today! After eating this, my meat-loving husband said “I really liked that! I would eat all of that again!” I love your recipes, thank you so much!
Thanks for sharing, Robyn!
Tofu doesn’t really take the flavor well. Cabbage is too over powering, i would use butter lettuce if were to make this again. I was really disappointed.
Sorry you didn’t love this one, Cassandra. I appreciate the feedback.
Made this dish tonight with the family + friends – 2 vegetarians and 4 omnivores. Everyone really enjoyed it. The tofu was nice and crispy. The peanut sauce and mango chutney work so well together. Used wheat/corn wraps for some and lettuce as wrap for gluten free / calorie counting types. Worked well for all. Definitely a keeper recipe! Thanks!
I’m glad it was a hit with everyone. I appreciate your review, Wendy.
Our house loved this! I subbed peanut butter for cashew butter, since me and my roommate are not fans of the smell of peanuts, but wanted to get that thai taste that seems to be nothing without peanuts. Turned out very good!
Also used rice wine vinegar, which added a sour-ish taste. Thanks for introducing me to this recipe!
You’re welcome, Aline!
this one was a miss for me – i don’t know that i really “get” the mango/peanut sauce combo. maybe i just used too much sauce. the salsa is super tasty though.
I’m sorry you didn’t love the combination!
Delicious! I somehow bought papayas instead of mangos – but decided to go with it and it was great. Next time I will be trying it with mangos!
Thank yo for sharing, Kay!
My teenage daughter made this for us last night and it was totally delicious! She said it was easy to make as well. Cleaning up after her was worth it lol. Looking forward to trying more recipes on this site as we venture into eating more plant-based meals.
Thank you for sharing, Cindy!
This was extremely tasty and filling! I doubled the amount of tofu though, because it seemed like I would have been over salsa-d and over sauced with just one block. I made the mango recipe as is, and mulitplied the peanut sauce by 50%. I think I actually could have gotten away with just the same amount of peanut sauce too, though. Very glad I doubled the tofu!
I’m not vegetarian, but love tofu and was looking for more recipes to cook for my vegetarian friends. I think this one will need to be saved for “close friends only” because of how messy eating it was! But the flavors were great and a departure from my usual flavor palettes. Other than changing the relative amounts I made everything exactly as written.
(Now I’m having visions of myself saying to a new friend “Sorry, I’d make this for you, but that would be taking our friendship to a new level.”)
Thank you for your comment, Alex!
The tofu in this recipe is phenomenal! It might now make it into the wraps because there is a very good chance that I will eat it all right now. My two year old is devouring it!
Thank you, Jess!
This was super flavorful and the recipe was easy to follow. I am adding this to my go to recipe collection.
SO YUM! I couldn’t stop eating it – such a flavourful combination it was fantastic and healthy. My non-vegan family loved it and my Mum asked me to make it again for her birthday dinner next weekend! Thank you
Thank you for sharing, Rachel!
Made this tonight. The tofu turned out excellent. I’ll probably use this cooking method for other tofu recipes. Overall the flavor was good but the cabbage leaves were a bust for me. I found the texture too chewy and just not appetizing. I think next time I make this recipe, I’ll use bib lettuce leaves or a low carb tortilla recipe instead.
Thank you for sharing! I’m sorry you didn’t love the cabbage in this.
Kate your a genius!
Made this and it was amazing! Didn’t have green onions so used finely chopped White and it was just as perfect.
The peanut sauce was devine. Used a organic smooth peanut butter without additives and it was really thick. I added a bit of water to the 2/3rd that went into coating the tofu – which made it look and taste amazing. You would never guess it was tofu! Then added a bit more water to make it perfect for drizzling over the completed cabbage bowl. The texture was lovely and the taste was so fresh and every mouthful was exciting!
Oh my goodness, this is sooo yummie! Didn’t expect such a WOW. It’s definitely a new fave! Thank you! (Wish I had taken a picture before I took a bite. There’s none left to photograph!)
I loved this recipe! The mango and bell pepper work really well together and the sauce is delicious. I added the toasted coconut and chopped peanuts as recommended, and it really made the dish special. I’m excited to try the bowl version.
Thanks for sharing, Marny!
I made the peanut sauce, but didn’t have any good-for-you sweeteners such as honey or maple syrup, so I used about a teaspoon of regular white sugar. WHAT AN AMAZING SAUCE THIS WAS!! I couldn’t stop eating it. When I ran out of tofu, I used a spoon to gobble the rest of it. So what made it so good? First, there was the peanut butter. I don’t particularly care for it, but in this case, it was essential. It added this wonderful sense of taste and texture that I can’t really describe. Somehow, the peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar all came together and holy crap, I was eating the sauce out of the bowl. I didn’t have a lime, so I used bottled lemon juice. Everything about this recipe was perfectly perfect. Absolutely freaking delicious and dangerously addictive.
Thanks for sharing, Kim! I’m happy you enjoyed it.
Would frozen mango work as well as fresh?
Sure! That could be an ok substitution.
Ohh my, these are SO tasty! This will definitely be on our favorites list–especially during this lock down! Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Kim!
This is SO fresh and delicious tasting! This will be on regular rotation in my house.
I made a couple of changes and substitutions, I added grated, fresh ginger to the peanut sauce, I just can’t do it without. And I substituted Sriratcha for jalapeños (really nice combo with the mango) and lettuce leaves for cabbage because I have a hard time digesting cabbage. We had jasmin rice on the side which is divine with the peanut sauce drizzled over.
Over all it’s amazingly sweet, sour, savoury, spicy goodness! And easy :)(shocking!)
5*Asbs Great recipe!! I used Romaine. Sprinkled rice flour onto tofu for crispiness. Used acv and maple syrup. Mixed roasted peanuts with coconut flakes. Doubled the recipe.
This is my family’s new favorite dinner! My kids don’t like the peanut sauce (WHAT?), so I just leave out some tofu before “going the extra mile,” which is absolutely essential, in my book (and it means more peanut saucey goodness for me!). We make it even easier by using frozen mango or pineapple (thawed and chopped) for the salsa, whatever we have on hand.
Amazing recipe! It was perfectly refreshing and crisp. Leftovers were just as good. Tufo isn’t my favorite, but this is a game changer for sure. I went the extra mile in step 6 and it was well worth it! I even came back to this recipe just to make the baked tofu again for another meal.
Definitely would recommend this… Everything about it. I can’t wait to use the peanut sauce on other meals and make the mango pico again just to snack on!
Yummmm! Having a difficult time finding vegan recipes that my husband and I both like. Thank you!
That’s a favourite in our home as of today! So flavourful… Husband even shared on instagram (he never posts food) lol. Thank you so much Kate!
Loved it! Only alteration for me was iceberg lettuce instead of cabbage (it’s what I had in the house) and everything was fantastic. LOVE the tofu, especially.
This was delicious and super easy. Great summer dinner
This was delicious but sooo messy!! Definitely worth the mess though
Tried again with cabbage leaves rather than Bibb lettuce and it held together much less messily!
Delicious! Thank you for sharing!!
I want to try this recipe, but also offer 5 stars for the Thai-style Mango Slaw I made tonight from your cookbook—just outstanding—a perfect summer supper! Thanks for another winner
I’ve never left a review on a recipe before but I had to for this recipe. OMG amazing. The tofu prepared like that came out perfectly crispy and delicious. I am so impressed as it is usually a challenge to make tofu crispy! The mango salsa added the perfect amount of sweetness to balance the peanut tofu. Amazing recipe! Thank you!
So good! I loved the crunchyness of the tofu with the coconut and peanuts — I would definately recommend going the “extra mile” — super yummy!
I made this for my husband, who is a meat eater. He loved it. I did, too.
Delicious! I’ve made it 4 times over the past few months. I add rice to mine to make it more filling for the whole family.
Made this tonight for dinner. The peanut sauce is the best homemade sauce we have ever had. The salsa was light and refreshing. I might put it over rice or noodles because it was a little light for a full meal. Also, while nothing was hard to make, it is time consuming to make the three different components – there’s a lot of chopping involved. Definitely not a meal you can make it in 30 minutes. We’ll be making the peanut sauce over and over again I’m sure.